Mittwoch, 31. Oktober 2007

Updates and Editorials

Attack on Syria, Part XXXIV: Im wöchentlichen Magazin newsweek erscheint der folgende Artikel von Mark Hosenball, "A new intelligence failure": But photographic evidence obtained by NEWSWEEK shows the boxy main building already existed in 2003, and a European intelligence source said the program might have begun years earlier. The source, who asked for anonymity when discussing sensitive information, said fresh intelligence suggests the Syrians actually started a hush-hush program under the regime of late president Hafez Assad, who died in 2000, and that initially, clandestine factions of the government may have kept it secret from Bashar al-Assad, Hafez's son and successor. If true, it could be a significant intelligence failure by American and other Western spy agencies. [Die relevante Stelle aus dem letzten NYT-Artikel: Yesterday independent analysts, examining the latest satellite image, suggested that work on the site might have begun around 2001, and the senior intelligence official agreed with that analysis.] Eine sehr logische Variante, da dem alten Assad das Streben nach einem Atomreaktor deutlich mehr zuzutrauen wäre als dem Baby-LionKing. Von einem hush-hush-Programm kann jedoch keine Rede sein. Im Jahr 1998 wurde ein CIA-report wild diskutiert der eine russisch-syrische Kooperation wohl sehr realer Natur hervorbrachte [In 1997 it was reported that the Russian government was interested in selling a nuclear reactor to Syria. On 23 February 1998 Syria and Russia signed an agreement on the peaceful use of nuclear energy. In July 1998 the two sides agreed on the time table for the realization of a 25-MW light-water nuclear research center project in Syria with the participation of Russia's Atomstroyeksport and Nikiet. Quelle: FAS] Es könnte durchaus sein das mit dem Machtwechsel in Russland Hafez Assad den Lieferanten wechseln wollte.

Dion Nissenbaum, "Israel ready to negotiate on Jerusalem, its 'Third Rail'?": The last time Israeli leaders sat down for meaningful peace talks with Palestinian negotiators, then-Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert led a march around the Old City's ancient walls to protest any plans to divide his adopted home. "No concessions on Jerusalem," Olmert said on the eve of the 2000 Camp David summit. "For 33 years, Israel has said there will never be a compromise on Jerusalem. Do you think we were joking?" But seven years, one Palestinian uprising and three Israeli elections later, Olmert, now Israel's prime minister, is floating the idea of carving up the city he led for 10 years. As he gears up for the most intense round of peace talks since the Camp David talks failed, Olmert has indicated that he's prepared to turn over Arab neighborhoods of Jerusalem to the Palestinians.

Tamara Traubman, "The Rigth of Return (To Britain)": Thousands of people and one very active Internet site have been busy these days with Khaled Al-Mudallal's right to return - that is, his right to return to the University of Bradford in England. Mudallal, 22, was supposed to be devoting his entire attention right now to his last year of studies for a bachelor's degree in business administration. But instead, he is stuck in Rafah and cannot see how he will be able to leave the Gaza Strip and finish his studies.

Ich geh ja nicht hin, aber .... One voice is dead! Another voice lives! ++++ In a further step toward security cooperation between Canada and Israel, Public Security Minister Avi Dichter met Monday in Toronto with his Canadian counterpart, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Stockwell Day. Following the meeting, Dichter and Day announced that they would accelerate negotiations toward the signing of a mutual cooperation agreement on homeland security. ++++ The leader of Lebanon's parliamentary majority Saad Hariri claimed Tuesday there is a plot to assassinate him and the country's US-backed prime minister ahead of crucial presidential elections next month, and alleged that Syria was behind it. ++++ Young cadets carry briefcases as they rush to computer labs, Hebrew classes and conflict resolution drills. They are the vanguard of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' campaign to prevent the West Bank from falling to Hamas.